Pansy was sitting on the low wall of a fountain out in the windy courtyard
when her friend Greg found her. "Well, what was all that about?" he said as
he plonked his large bulk down beside her on the wall.
"Nothing" Pansy replied flatly.
After a few moments silence Greg pressed on quietly "is it the exams?"
Pansy made a face practically spat "as if!
"Huh huh, yeah." Chuckled Greg "you worry about exams about as much as me
n' Vincent." They sat in comfortable silence another moment until Pansy
sighed. "Greg, what am I doing here? Sometimes I feel like I've just woken
up from a years long sleep and forgotten to live." This statement just
produced a look of alarmed confusion on Greg's face but Pansy went on "you
know, what am I doing in Slytherin? When will I ever make my family proud?
I'm not that clever and I'm the last person in the world you could call
ambitious, I'm just.just."
Relief flooded Greg's face. "Oh, is that all? No, don't be annoyed Pansy,
I know what you mean, they only threw me into Slytherin cos they couldn't
stick me anywhere else! You know? Hufflepuff's motto? I'll teach them all
but not Gregory Goyle! Huh huh." Pansy gave Greg a faint smile and got a
bone crushing one-armed hug in return. Greg let Pansy go and they had a
little nervous laugh. It wasn't very Slytherin to show affection in public.
Pansy felt a small bit braver now. "Um.Greg, that's not the worst thing, though." Greg gave her a questioning look so she went on quickly, hearing the pitch of her voice rising as she tried to hold on to her courage: "well, I think I like someone, yeah, "like" like them. I think. And it's someone who won't like me back and they're in another house and it's.it's.a girl." She said the last two words in a whisper. In an instant Greg had his hand up to his mouth in an expression of wide- eyed astonishment. "Don't do that!" snapped Pansy and slapped down Greg's hand. "Oh my God" muttered Greg. "Don't do that either" said Pansy, Sreeching again "tell me what I'm supposed to do about this!" Greg was looking around as if to find something to help him. Eventually he stammered "but.but.but.Pansy, you like Draco, don't you? "I don't know, Greg, all I know is I can't stop thinking about.that person," she said despairingly. "But you went to the ball with Draco" Pansy shrugged "Well, Draco is a. He has a .a very good family." "The best" Greg agreed, nodding vigorously. "But he never made me feel like I wish I could be .different. He never made me feel.like this" Pansy struggled with the words. "Uh, but you feel bad, Pansy." Said Greg, who got an exasperated look from Pansy for his trouble. "Well, they say love'll do that to you- make you feel weird, I mean" finished Greg wisely. "Who say" muttered Pansy, annoyed at him for using the "L" word. "Oh, you know. Songs 'n stuff. The Weird Sisters have one that goes-" But he was interrupted by Pansy pointing back towards the school and muttering "Duty calls". Draco and Vincent were a few metres away, looking over, Draco with an air of theatrical impatience. But Greg was already gathering his books together, ready to run to Draco's beck and call. Pansy sighed. Just as he was leaving, Greg turned back and leaned in close so the others wouldn't hear "Pansy you're the prettiest and smartest girl I know. You'll figure it out. And the girl you like is really lucky" He gave her what was meant to be a friendly punch in the arm, winked and ran off after Draco and Vincent. She saw Draco give Greg a reproachful look, presumably for daring to talk to anyone but himself. Pansy sat there feeling a bit bewildered. Yep, the only thing Draco had going for him was his family name; but that didn't necessarily mean she fancied girls did it? And Greg was so sweet but so clueless. She stood up wearily and made her way back towards the common room. "Greg, I'm the only girl you know" she whispered to herself as she walked.
Pansy felt a small bit braver now. "Um.Greg, that's not the worst thing, though." Greg gave her a questioning look so she went on quickly, hearing the pitch of her voice rising as she tried to hold on to her courage: "well, I think I like someone, yeah, "like" like them. I think. And it's someone who won't like me back and they're in another house and it's.it's.a girl." She said the last two words in a whisper. In an instant Greg had his hand up to his mouth in an expression of wide- eyed astonishment. "Don't do that!" snapped Pansy and slapped down Greg's hand. "Oh my God" muttered Greg. "Don't do that either" said Pansy, Sreeching again "tell me what I'm supposed to do about this!" Greg was looking around as if to find something to help him. Eventually he stammered "but.but.but.Pansy, you like Draco, don't you? "I don't know, Greg, all I know is I can't stop thinking about.that person," she said despairingly. "But you went to the ball with Draco" Pansy shrugged "Well, Draco is a. He has a .a very good family." "The best" Greg agreed, nodding vigorously. "But he never made me feel like I wish I could be .different. He never made me feel.like this" Pansy struggled with the words. "Uh, but you feel bad, Pansy." Said Greg, who got an exasperated look from Pansy for his trouble. "Well, they say love'll do that to you- make you feel weird, I mean" finished Greg wisely. "Who say" muttered Pansy, annoyed at him for using the "L" word. "Oh, you know. Songs 'n stuff. The Weird Sisters have one that goes-" But he was interrupted by Pansy pointing back towards the school and muttering "Duty calls". Draco and Vincent were a few metres away, looking over, Draco with an air of theatrical impatience. But Greg was already gathering his books together, ready to run to Draco's beck and call. Pansy sighed. Just as he was leaving, Greg turned back and leaned in close so the others wouldn't hear "Pansy you're the prettiest and smartest girl I know. You'll figure it out. And the girl you like is really lucky" He gave her what was meant to be a friendly punch in the arm, winked and ran off after Draco and Vincent. She saw Draco give Greg a reproachful look, presumably for daring to talk to anyone but himself. Pansy sat there feeling a bit bewildered. Yep, the only thing Draco had going for him was his family name; but that didn't necessarily mean she fancied girls did it? And Greg was so sweet but so clueless. She stood up wearily and made her way back towards the common room. "Greg, I'm the only girl you know" she whispered to herself as she walked.